Making The Best Leather Conditioner

Simon Gilboy explains how we created the best beeswax leather balsam and how it works to condition and waterproof leather.
0:20 Why did we create a beeswax leather conditioning balsam?
1:00 What is in our leather conditioner?
1:18 How does it revive the leather?
1:41 What does the beeswax and carnauba wax do for the leather?
2:32 How do you apply beeswax leather conditioner?
2:58 How long does our balsam take to dry?
3:22 What about the environment?
4:42 Why we provide complimentary sweet pea seeds with every order
5:24 What types of leather can be conditioned with the balsam? (spoiler alert: not nubuck or suede)
Our leather balsam is available to buy on our website here: bit.ly/2XxI4QN

[@RudyMogavero]

Ok Simon, you got me as a future customer for sure. Lol - you got me with the sweet pea seeds. To give back to the pollinators... That is awesome. Though I'm in Texas, USA surrounded by leather and leather products, yours will be next when time to replenish. I also make my own, we have Italian honey bees, for rough heavy duty outdoor work that will get wet. Beeswax, oils, and other components. It's the only truly water proof to stand up to a hot Texas day working near the river. Anyway, thank you for a very professional presentation and informative video. And for the pollinators. :)

[@davecharlesworth8176]

I wish more business would take environmental issues as seriously as Gilboys. The balsam looks good.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you Dave. We have tried our very best to be give back more than we take.

[@custompainter]

Mine just arrived today! I just used it on some of my guitar straps and I couldn’t be happier! Thank you so much! Also beautiful personalized card and can’t wait to get the sweet peas planted!!

[@GilboysRestoration]

Great to hear. thank you.

[@PapiSmerf]

Looks like good stuff. Now I have a riddle for you to solve that may haunt you to the end of your days if you don't dismiss this comment and move on before finishing. Work boots are what I primarily think of when I shop for leather conditioners. I wear exceptionally good work boots because I try to learn from others' mistakes, especially when it comes to personal injury and I've met countless people who are living the rest of their lives in constant pain or disability because they wore cheap footwear. After 6 months to a year, its usually time to condition them. I've tried a whole menagerie of different products, most of them with beeswax and lanolin as their primary ingredient and the same thing happens every time. The stitching thread starts to break. So I get snared in a catch-22: wax my boots and cause a blow-out, or let them dry out until the leather cracks. Gets really annoying when you're dealing with $250-300 pairs that unnecessarily need to be replaced every couple years, and this paradox is the sole reason I haven't moved to a handmade boot. I could spend more for better footwear, but it'd have the same expiration date. So there. Your new trial: a shoe wax that doesn't weaken the stitching during heavy use.

[@jackieohehir3259]

maybe this is what you are looking for !!!!!

[@PapiSmerf]

@@jackieohehir3259 if its primarily beeswax and lanolin, probably not. Thats what is causing the issue.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Hi Geno. Thank you for your riddle. We did research this potential issue whilst developing our conditioner. We found that it was something that may affect natural organic threads such as cotton. Are your boots stitched with cotton? If so, the decay of the cotton may be slightly accelerated by continued exposure to moisture and then drying. (are you working outdoors?) If your boots are being exposed to a hard wearing exterior environment which is repeated 5 days a week then the leather will need regular conditioning to prevent it drying and loosing its suppleness. Synthetic threads such as nylon or polyester should not be affected by leather conditioners. I hope this helps. Kind regards Simon Gilboy

[@PapiSmerf]

@@GilboysRestoration All of the above. I think pretty much all of the more expensive boots use cotton. Synthetics melt too quickly in hot environments when being flexed constantly, the leather holds the heat in. I had a pair of cheapos just fall to pieces and leave me barefoot in the wilderness once because the nylon stitching and even the laces melted while I was hiking downhill with a full pack. Now that I think about it there is a type of synthetic/natural blend that saddlemakers use that's virtually indestructible. I'll have to find out what the name of it is and start looking for anyone who uses it. Thanks for the reply!

[@GilboysRestoration]

@@PapiSmerf Our pleasure. I hope you have success.

[@FB_Sinan]

I made a balm using,Beeswax, Sweet Almond Butter, Cocoa Butter, is it necessary to add lanolin?

[@starflow1]

How many % w/w carnouba wax is there in the balm?

[@Holy_shit69]

50%

[@lee-annek6969]

really only need beeswax and lanolin

[@Holy_shit69]

nahhh thats for brokie recipe